Lower prices, relative profitability tug at chickpea acres

MarketsFarm -- Since chickpea prices fell rapidly during last year's harvest, the jury is out as to what the chickpea market holds this year. "Acres are going to be down this year because the price isn't what it was a year ago," said Melody Ector, president of Diefenbaker Spice and Pulse at Elbow, Sask. Prices[...]

Pulse weekly outlook: Alberta markets optimistic despite weather

MarketsFarm -- Varied weather across Alberta has made for an unpredictable pulse harvest. "We've seen everything from drought-like conditions in the south, to an overabundance of water in the central region, and to some degree in the north as well," said Leanne Fischbuch, executive director of Alberta Pulse. Despite less-than-favourable weather conditions, pulse producers are[...]


High stocks-to-use ratio weighs on canola

MarketsFarm -- The Canadian canola stocks-to-use ratio was over 20 per cent at the end of 2019 -- significantly higher than the five-year average of 13.4 per cent. "That's part of the reason why we're seeing downward pressure on canola prices," Craig Klemmer, chief agriculture economist for Farm Credit Canada (FCC), explained during his presentation[...]

CBOT weekly outlook: World wheat output seen lower than expected

MarketsFarm -- Parts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) have "caught the trade off guard," according to one trader. In its report, released Thursday, USDA significantly cut production volumes in Canada, Australia, Russia and Ukraine. In total, global wheat production was down 9.4 million tonnes, and stocks[...]


Feed weekly outlook: Corn acreage predicted to be flat

MarketsFarm -- Experts predict corn acreage will be flat in Western Canada in 2019. While flooding remains a concern to many this spring, years of dry summers have impacted soil conditions to the point where a wet spring may be a welcome reprieve. "I'm more concerned about how much moisture we will have gained because[...]

CBOT weekly outlook: USDA report leaves trade unsteady

MarketsFarm -- Chicago Board of Trade markets were volatile following Friday's U.S. Department of Agriculture's acreage report, which saw more corn acres and fewer soybeans than expected. "We had a sharp break, but now we're starting to recover a bit," said Steve Georgy, president of Allendale Inc. in Illinois. USDA's next world agriculture supply and[...]


Pulse weekly outlook: Fababean acres set to increase

MarketsFarm -- Unpredictable weather overseas resulted in robust fababean prices during 2018's harvest, and Canadian producers expect these prices to hold throughout the 2019 growing season. "For the growers that managed to get fababeans off their field, I think they were probably quite happy with the markets in 2018," said Leanne Fischbuch, president of Alberta[...]

Pulse weekly outlook: India's drought could be field pea opportunity

MarketsFarm -- Though India has curbed its pulse crop imports from Canada in recent years due to disagreements over crop control and fumigation, a challenging growing season in India could make Canadian pulses more attractive. Drought-like conditions in key growing areas of India have killed dozens of people and endangered crops. According to Reuters, key[...]


CBOT weekly outlook: Weather, trade wars keep futures volatile

MarketsFarm -- Extended durations of wet spring weather continue to buoy prices on the Chicago Board of Trade -- and price volatility will remain high based on long-term weather forecasts. "Whenever you're in a weather problem phase, volatility tends to increase," explained Terry Reilly, a grains analyst with Futures International. Currently, soybeans are trading around[...]

ICE weekly outlook: Canola markets remain sensitive to weather

MarketsFarm -- Canola markets were following trends set by soybean prices, as worries of late planting weighed on the minds of traders and farmers alike. As corn planting comes to an end, prolonged wet weather has continued to delay soybean planting to the point where the growing season may be shortened. "I think the market[...]